Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Arts Express: BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez; Songs My Brothers Taught Me

BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT; FIRST NATION YOUTH IN CRISIS AT PINE RIDGE; INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY; MALCOLM, BARAKA, BALDWIN; TRIAL BY FIRE; MUMIA; BODY BAGS; FBI FILES; GHETTO SUPERMARKETS, AND AMERICA'S SECRET CHERNOBYL ON THE REZ**BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez: A conversation with the esteemed African American veteran poet, playwright, activist and co-founder of the historic Black Arts Movement, about her film touching of all these subjects, and to be released on International Women's Day. Sanchez phones in from Virginia in a conversation with poetic interludes, about her life work in writing, on stage, and on the battlefields for social change. Touching on her unique fusion of jazz and spoken word; memories of Malcolm, Baraka, Baldwin, Maya Angelou, and a lyrical collaboration with Diana Ross. And what all this may have to do with trial by fire, Mumia, body bags, her still active FBI file, and ghetto supermarkets.LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE

**Songs My Brothers Taught Me:
Asian American filmmaker Chloe Zhao is on the line to Arts Express to
discuss her dramatic feature delving into First Nation youth in crisis
on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Along with her Chinese immigrant sense of
internal isolation in this country and its emotional connection for her
to First Nation alienation; Native American poisoned and polluted land
as America's Secret Chernobyl; a story somewhat telling itself and fused
with documentary detours by default as the only thing she could afford;
and why we did not agree about the critical importance of continuing
oppression in telling First Nation stories. Prairie MillerArts Express: Airing on WBAI Radio in NY and the Pacifica National Radio Network and Affiliate Stations.